Circuit board slotting machine



April 21, 1970 R. G. HUGHE CIRCUIT BOARD SLOTTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet Ii Filed May 51, 1968 INVENTOR.

' RICHARD G- HUGHES Wfaw ATTORNEYS April 21, 1970 R. G. HUGHE BOARD SLOTTING MACHINE CIRCUIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RICHARD G- HUGHES BY Q TTORNEY United States Patent 3,507,176 CIRCUIT BOARD SLOTTING MACHINE Richard G. Hughes, The Barnaby Co., 1690 Plymouth St., Mountain View, Calif. 94040 Filed May 31, 1968, Ser. No. 733,566 Int. Cl. B26d 3/14, 3/18 U.S. Cl. 83-1 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A circuit board slotting machine having an adjustable table on which a circuit board may be mounted, and a swingable arbor shaft provided with spaced cutters thereon disposed for cutting slots in an end of the circuit board so that connectors may be coupled thereto. The cutters are disposed so that multiple slots may be cut at the same time, and the table provides screw adjustments so that the relationship of the board to the cutters can be finely established.

Summary An object of this invention is to provide a circuit board slotting machine whereby multiple slots may be cut at the same time in the board at points where connectors may be coupled.

It is proposed to provide an adjustable table on which a circuit board may be secured, and an arbor shaft has multiple cutters clamped thereon in spaced relation with one another. Moreover, a swingable plate supports the cutters and the arbor shaft, and this plate is movable into a position to effect cutting of the slots in the circuit board, and the plate is movable into a position to withdraw the cutters from the cut slots.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of my circuit board slotting machine;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof, parts being shown in section; the view being taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view as seen from the vertical plane 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the adjustable table as suggested by the plane 44 of FIG. 3.

While I have shown only the preferred embodiment of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be noted that a base A has a lower supporting shaft B mounted thereon and fixed thereto by cap screws 10, as disclosed in FIG. 2. This shaft is square in cross-section, and defines trunnions 11 at its opposite ends. Lower pillow blocks 12 are journalled on these trunnions (see FIG. 2). Swingable plate C is carried by the lower pillow blocks 12 and is movable about the axis of the lower supporting shaft B into inclined positions. This plate is disposed above the supporting shaft B and has been shown in full lines as being horizontally arranged, when referring to FIG. 3. An extension 13 is provided on the rear of the plate C, and this plate may be swung until the extension occupies the 3,507,176 Patented Apr. 21, 1970 dotdash line position shown in FIG. 3, this downward movement being indicated by the arrow 14.

Upper pillow blocks 15 are secured to the swingable plate C and spacers 16 are interposed between these pillow blocks and the plate C (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Cap screws 17 are used to secure the pillow blocks to the swingable plate at the left-hand portions of FIGS. 1 and 2. At the right-hand portion of FIG. 2 and, also, in FIG. 3, cap screws 18 secure one of the upper pillow blocks 15 to the right-hand spacer 16, and the latter is secured by cap screws 19 to the swingable plate C. Moreover, cap screws 20 secure the right-hand lower pillow block 12 to the underside of the plate C (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

As disclosed in FIGS. 1 to 3, inclusive, an arbor shaft D is journalled in the upper pillow blocks 15, and a plurality of spaced cutters E are clamped on the arbor shaft so as to be rotated by the latter. These cutters may take the form of saws of the desired diameters and may be diamond blades, and are spaced from one another by spacer sleeves 21, and are clamped in position by nut 22. Drive means F is operable to rotate the arbor shaft D and thereby turn the cutters E.

The drive means F includes a motor 23 having a drive pulley 24 which is connected by a belt 25 to a driven pulley 26 fastened to the arbor shaft D (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 3).

In FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive, a table G has been shown for supporting a circuit board H which is to be slotted at points where connectors are to be coupled. This board projects beyond an end of the table (see FIGS. 1 and 3). Plate-moving means I is operable to move the swinging plate C about the axis of the lower supporting shaft B so as to carry the cutters E into a position to cut slots 27 in the projecting end 28 of the circuit board H, and the latter means is operable to move the swinging plate C into a position to withdraw the cutters E from the cut slots 27.

The plate-moving means I is shown in FIG. 3 and defines an air cylinder 29 secured to the rearward extension 13 of the plate C, this air cylinder being provided with a piston rod 30 that is movable into extended and retracted positions. This piston rod has a rounded foot 31 disposed for bearing against the base A so that the cutters E will be advanced into cutting position when the piston rod 30 is extended and the cutters will be wtihdrawn from the cut slots when the piston rod is retracted.

The motor 23 is mounted on the rearward extension 13 of the swingable plate C in a position wherein the weight of the motor will swing this plate by gravity into an inclined position to withdraw the cutters from the cut slots upon retracting the piston rod 30.

It will be noted from FIG. 3 that the arbor shaft D is disposed substantially on a level with the circuit board H and substantially vertically above the lower supporting shaft B when the cutters E are advanced into cutting positions (see full lines in FIG. 3), and the arbor shaft D is moved rearwardly away from the table G, as suggested by the arrow 32, when the cutters are withdrawn from the cut slots 27.

In its structural details, the table G has an upper bed 33 provided with an upper slide 34 on which the circuit board H is mounted, for instance, by clamps 35 (see FIG. 4), the upper slide 34 being adjustable longitudinally toward and away from the arbor shaft D by an adjusting screw 36 and turning knob 37, whereby the board H may be advanced and retracted relative to the arbor shaft to control the depth of cut of the slots 27. This table further has a lower bed 38 on which the upper bed 33 is mounted for transverse adjustment by an adjusting screw 39 and a turning knob 40, whereby the circuit board H may be shifted laterally. The lower bed 38 is supported by spacers or risers 41 that are anchored to the base A.

It will be apparent that my circuit board slotting machine allows multiple slots 27 to be cut in the same time it would ordinarily take to cut one slot. Moreover, the

plate-moving means I provides a power feed stroke for the cutters E, and the rate of feed is infinitely variable over a wide range. Various sizes of cutters may be used, and the machine provides cutter speed suitable for use with a diamond blade. The table G provides an adjustable nest for locating the board H, and the screw adjustments 36 and 39 permits the relationship of the board H to the cutters E to be finely established. Of course, a lamp (not shown) could be provided so that the work area may be brightly illuminated. The belt 25 and the cutters B may be closely guarded. The arbor and pivot bearings may be sealed and pre-lubricated ball bearing pillow blocks 12 and 15. Also, a vacuum nozzle and hose (not shown) for chip pick-up may be provided and a dust collector (not shown) can be furnished as optional equipment.

I claim:

1. In a circuit board slotting machine:

(a) a base having a lower supporting shaft mounted thereon, and this shaft defining trunnions;

(b) lower pillow blocks journalled on these trunnions;

(c) a swingable plate carried by the lower pillow blocks and being movable about the axis of the lower supporting shaft into inclined positions;

(d) upper pillow blocks secured to the swingable plate and having an arbor shaft journalled therein;

(e) a plurality of spaced cutters clamped on the arbor shaft so as to be rotated by the latter;

(i) drive means operable to rotate the arbor shaft and thereby turn the cutters;

(g) a table mounted on the base and defining a table top on which a circuit board may be positioned with the board projecting beyond an end of the table top;

(h) and plate-moving means operable to move the swingable plate about the axis of the lower supportting shaft so as to carry the cutters into a position to cut slots in the projecting end of the circuit board, and the latter means being operable to move the swingable plate into a position to withdraw the cutters from the cut slots.

2. The circuit board slotting machine, as set forth in claim 1:

(i) and in which said plate-moving means defines an air cylinder secured to a rearward extension of the swingable plate, this cylinder being provided with a piston rod movable into extended and retracted positions, the piston rod having a foot disposed for bearing against the base so that the cutters will be advanced into cutting positions when the piston rod is extended and the cutters will be withdrawn from the cut slots when the piston rod is retracted.

3. The circuit board slotting machine, as set forth in claim 2: p

(j) and in which said drive means includes a motor mounted on the rearward extension of the swingable plate in a position wherein the weight of the motor will swing this plate by gravity into an inclined position to withdraw the cutters from the cut slots upon retracting the piston rod.

4. The circuit board slotting machine, as set forth in claim 1:

(i) and in which the arbor shaft is disposed substantially on a level with the circuit board and substantially vertically above the lower supporting shaft when the cutters are advanced into cutting positions, and the arbor shaft is moved rearwardly away from the table when the cutters are withdrawn from the cut slots.

5. The circuit board slotting machine, as set forth in claim 1:

(i) and in which the table has an upper bed provided with an upper slide on which the circuit board is mounted, the upper slide being adjustable longitudinally toward and away from the arbor shaft, whereby the board may be advanced and retracted relative to the arbor shaft to thus control the depth of cut of the slots, and the table further having a lower bed on which the upper bed is mounted for transverse adjustment, whereby the circuit board may be shifted laterally.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,353,794- 7/1944 Suikhart 144l33 2,374,806 5/1945 Cicchetti et a1. 83490 X 3,057,240 10/1962 De Witt 83490 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,135,035 4/1957 France. 1,166,798 11/1958 France.

529,675 7/ 1931 Germany.

WILLIAM S. LAWSON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

